The Stearns County Board of Commissioners this morning appointed Andrew Letson as the next Stearns County Administrator. Letson will begin his role with Stearns County on October 26th.
Letson brings more than 15 years of public service experience in local government. For the past five years, he has served as the County Administrator in Meeker County, where he oversees county operations, strategic planning, financial management, and organizational leadership.
Before joining Meeker County, Letson held progressively responsible roles in municipal government, including serving as the Assistant to the Public Works Director and Director of Public Works for the Village of Lincolnwood, Illinois, as well as a Management Analyst for the Village of Northbrook, Illinois.
A veteran of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Letson was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree with an emphasis in Local Government Management from Northern Illinois University. Stearns County looks forward to welcoming Letson and supporting his leadership as he advances the County’s mission of delivering quality public services and supporting the communities it serves.
On this day in music, July 24, 1976, Elton John scored his first No.1 hit in the UK with “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” a retro-flavored duet with Kiki Dee. Written by Elton and his longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin (under the pseudonyms Ann Orson and Carte Blanche), the upbeat track paid homage to Motown’s classic duos, including Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The song, which was originally earmarked for Dusty Springfield, became a global hit for Elton and Kiki, topping the charts in the US, South Africa, Canada, Australia, and many other countries. In 1994, John re-recorded the song with drag queen RuPaul on his Duets album.
In 2003, the Mark Romanek-directed visual for Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” – his haunting revamp of a Nine Inch Nails number – earned six MTV Video Music Award nominations. A little over a month later, the video won Best Cinematography, making the 71-year-old Cash the oldest artist to receive a VMA. The country music legend died two weeks later.
In 1982, the Chicago rock band Survivor topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the rousing “Eye Of The Tiger,” plucked from the soundtrack to Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky III movie. The now-classic record spent six weeks at No.1 and later picked up a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance. It also topped the UK singles chart.
In 1978, the musical comedy film Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which took its inspiration from the Beatles album of the same name, was released in the US. Bankrolled by producer Robert Stigwood, it boasted a stellar cast, including The Bee Gees, Alice Cooper, Steve Martin, George Burns, and Earth, Wind & Fire. After receiving harsh reviews from the critics, however, it performed poorly at the box office.
In 1977, Donna Summer confirmed her disco queen credentials by topping the UK charts for the first and only time with “I Feel Love,” a groundbreaking, futuristic dance record, whose robotic rhythms drew the blueprint for electronic disco. The revolutionary Giorgio Moroder-produced track remained at No.1 for a month, but its influence certainly lasted much longer.
In 1967, The Beatles met Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who they regarded as their spiritual adviser, after hearing a lecture he gave on Transcendental Meditation in a London hotel. He invited them to join him for a lecture tour of North Wales, which they accepted, and later famously traveled to his ashram in Rishikesh, India.
In 1977, Led Zeppelin played their final concert in the US at California’s Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The British hard rock group cut short their North American tour after frontman Robert Plant learned that his five-year-old son, Karac, had died.
BORN ON JULY 24
1942: Heinz Burt (The Tornados)
1951: Lynval Golding (The Specials)
1953: Gary Shider (P-Funk All-Stars/Parliament-Funkadelic)
1957: Larry Gott (James)
1957: Pam Tillis
1958: Mick Karn (Japan)
1961: Paul Geary (Extreme)
1970: Jennifer Lopez
1973: Ladybug Mecca (Digible Planets)
1990: Jay McGuiness (The Wanted)
Julianne Johnson has written another book titled “Follow the Fenceline: Tracing the Path Back Home.” The book includes some short stories about Johnson’s experiences of growing up on a farm in Swede Grove Township and various childhood adventures in nearby Grove City, along with some poetry and stories elaborating on some of the tragedies her family endured.
Johnson says she moved to North Carolina a few years ago, but returns to Minnesota for the summer months because she concurs with Dorothy Gale of Kansas that “there’s no place like home.” She says she realizes more as she ages that the connections she has to this area are very valuable.
Johnson says “Follow the Fenceline” along with her previous books are available at the Natural Food Co-op and the Meeker Memorial Hospital gift shop in Litchfield, at Middle Fork/Novel Idea in Willmar and at Code 4, LLC – a shop in Spicer which carries guns and Minnesota gift items. She says it’s also available online through Archway Publishing, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
Johnson says her new book includes a few recipes in the first section like her earlier books – “Food, Feathers & Fur,” “Like a Weed,” and “In a Cloud of Dust,” and she has considered consolidating some of her recipes into a book of its own, and she is also thinking that her next book may be a collection of Green Lake memories. The artwork for the cover of “Follow the Fenceline” was done by Johnson’s cousin Cindy (Miller) Marsh.
Litchfield Community Theatre is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and a special show has been selected for this summer’s production – “Mary Poppins.” The show opened last night and two more evening performances will take place tonight and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the Bernie Aaker Auditorium.
You won’t want to miss this show. Director Tim Nelson has coordinated a talented cast with Mila Hanson as Mary Poppins; Ben Gosswiller as Bert; Tim Pierce as George Banks; Ali Lundin at Winifred Banks; the role of Jane Banks being split by June Nicholson and Eliana Bey; the role of Michael Banks being split by Henrik Kilpela and Connor Pennertz; Mary Haugen as Mrs. Brill; Isaac Olson as Robertson Ay; and Angela Likens as Miss Andrew. Nearly 50 other actors fill the remaining roles in “Mary Poppins.” The sets, costumes and special effects – thanks to the spectacular crew – supplement the talented acting, dancing and singing to make this a must-see production.
Tickets are $20 for the main floor and $15 for the balcony and are available at Litchfield Community Education and at litchfieldcommunitytheatre.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door.
Anna Lish has been battling breast cancer, and a benefit has been scheduled for tomorrow at the Litchfield Eagles Club to help her. The benefit will be held on Saturday at the Litchfield Eagles Club with a bake sale at 2 p.m., a silent auction, dunk tank, face-painting, jump house and duck pond from 2-to-4 p.m., a second silent auction from 4-to-6 p.m. and DJ Darwin Theory at 7 p.m.
There will also be raffles starting at 4 p.m. Checks for the Anna Benefit Fund may also be dropped off at Home State Bank. For more details about the benefit, call Paige at 320-434-0043.
Nearly two years ago, Anna was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has endured surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and continues to face more preventative procedures, and continues to work at Central Community Transit. The numerous medical procedures have created a financial burden for Anna and her family.